This invention relates to an apparatus and method for conveying documents such as checks.
Apparatus and method for conveying documents such as checks may be useful in a wide variety of settings such as banking and financial institutions. For example, a document conveying device may convey a check or other document for scanning one or both sides thereof or for other purposes
One type of an apparatus or method for conveying documents such as checks allows a check to be individually fed from an inlet area of the device. Some prior art devices employ a biasing mechanism to move a stack of checks disposed in the inlet area into engagement with a rotating roller, however, it may be difficult to insert additional checks between the roller and the biasing mechanism while the device is operating. Prior art devices typically do not allow for additional checks to be inserted into the device during operation without interfering with the biasing mechanism or the stack itself. The user may have to manually push against the biasing mechanism to create a gap sufficiently wide enough for the insertion of additional checks adjacent the checks already disposed in the inlet channel which may lead to tilting, misalignment or misfeeding of the checks with the roller or other portions of the device and/or other problems. Alternatively, prior art devices may also limit insertion of additional checks until the inlet area is empty of checks and the mechanism has stopped moving to avoid problems during device operation.
There is a continuing desire to provide an apparatus and method for conveying documents such as checks that provides reliable and continuous conveying of such documents or checks.